If this level of damage is sufficient to require surgery, how many active players would most teams have if they all made similar choices? I read Isiah’s “if he decides to play again” quote alongside Marbury’s “but there’s always next year” quote and wonder if the guy took a legit injury and ran with it, deciding to have the sort of surgery which most guys have in the summer during the season- in effect shutting it down on a team he knows is going nowhere and a coach he doesn’t respect.

That’s definitely a fair point by Brendan. My main point was simply that I (and I bet a lot of people) thought Marbury’s injury was entirely made up, so it’s worth noting that it was a legit injury. Now, if he gets SURGERY, then we get to Brendan’s point, and it is a lot trickier.

49 comments on “Okay, Who Thought He Wasn’t Making It Up?”

it says volumes about the situation, me, or both, but my initial reaction is:

If this level of damage is sufficient to require surgery, how many active players would most teams have if they all made similar choices? I read Isiah’s “if he decides to play again” quote alongside Marbury’s “but there’s always next year” quote and wonder if the guy took a legit injury and ran with it, deciding to have the sort of surgery which most guys have in the summer during the season- in effect shutting it down on a team he knows is going nowhere and a coach he doesn’t respect.

I may be spinning assumptions out of nothing here, but I don’t think this is an entirely implausible inference. I also wonder, again perhaps unjustly, if this is intended to head off a potential trade.

GO FOR SURGERY MARBURY, IT’S WORTH IT….WE DON’T WANT YOU DOING ANOTHER THING FOR THIS TEAM THIS YEAR.

I’m sure he would play and step up if the knicks were in the hunt…BUT….we need you healthy in your final contract year.

With Marbury out, this means we get a big dose of Nate. It will be interesting to see how he responds. I think it’s the best thing that will happen to the knicks this year. I think Nate is ready and will have the playing time to prove he can start and make others better. He needs to play in control, and tenacious D and he’ll be fine. The question is, who comes off the bench now?

As for Marbury, one more year, just one more year of his selfish play and then we can trade him out as an expiring contract or ride him until the end of the contract. My bet is that the next president will extract his contract at season’s end…$21 million will be a nice slash off payroll.

I’m all for giving Nate his shot- it’s about time. I think we need to trade for a backup point guard though. Watson or somebody like that. I don’t want Mardy playing again. A lineup of Curry, Lee, Balkman, Crawford, and Nate could be effective. Curry can get points in the post and actually gives somewhat better ball movement at this point than Zack. Lee and Balkman can run the floor and play unselfish and get boards. Jamal can sometimes get hot and will get the ball to Curry. And Nate can run and hit the big 3. It’s not going to win a championship but it’s the best we’ve got right now.

The thing about this is that Marbury is an enigma, wrapped in puzzle, wrapped in $14.95 clothing. Can anyone really claim that they understand what goes on his mind? It seems clear that Marbury does not want to be with the team, likely he feels unwanted. He is looking for a way out and this might be it.

Marbury has a style of logic that is simply mystifying. I often wonder if he is suffering from depression. His behavior is consistent with a person suffering from depression. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bipolar_disorder
Have you noticed the strange highs (interviews this summer, acts of charity) and the very weird lows (fight with Thomas, behavior following his father’s death)? He has expressed feeling persecuted and targeted. There could be something there. Many signs of mental illness begin in the late 20’s to early 30’s. It is not unlike what Chamique Holdsclaw experienced.

As far as most players waiting until the off-season to have surgery, I think a player is more likely to have surgery right away if the team is not in contention. Tony Parker or Kobe Bryant would wait until June to do this because they have a chance to win. I do not think Dwayne Wade would wait if he were in the same position this year. Miami is going nowhere, why play with pain if it is to no end? I doubt the 22 and 8.9 Marbury of 7 years ago could pull this team out of its funk.

I could see Marbury missing the rest of the season. The Knicks will try to move him over the summer, but not to take back junk. If the Knicks can’t make a good move, they probably buy Marbury out. Marbury can then sign with the Heat or the Cavs. I think Marbury could do well with the Heat. Riley has a way of squeezing more life out of players whom we all thought had nothing left. Miami needs a point and they need more scoring. I do not think Marbury is headed for Italy just yet.

No offense to Thomas B., but I really get a kick out of how much us Knick fans tend to use their own logic when trying to predict what will Isaiah will do.
“The Knicks will try to move him over the summer, but not to take back junk.” Says who? Isaiah is UNHINGED.. dude could take back junk that we can’t even comprehend.

That said… I’m praying for them to swap Marbury for JWill and Ricky Davis. Expiring contracts while the dearth of talent will ensure we remain in the bottom 3. Maybe as a bonus Marbury will actually help the Heat (although I doubt it) and thereby take out a competitor for the #1 pick.

I can not be sure that Thomas will initiate a buyout next year, or that he will not trade Marbury to Cavs for Damon Jones, D. Marshall, and Larry Hughes.

It was just a thought. A hopeful thought that Thomas would not do anything to further damage the team. In support of this my thought I offer this: Thomas did buyout several contracts rather than trade them for players with longer deals. Thomas allowed Shandon Anderson, Mo Taylor, and Jalen Rose to come off the books. Each player was bought out in the final year of the contract and asked not to return. It is perfectly reasonable to think Thomas will do the same with Marbury. It is my own logic, but it is based on past behaviors and trends.

I think its appropriate that your screen name is Mulligan, your post could use a do over. But as I said, no offense taken.

If he doesn’t get traded this year (a Miami trade would be an appropriate tanking move) I’m sure we’ll hold on to him at least until next year’s trade deadline.. he actually has some value, unlike Shanden Anderson or Mo Taylor.

Do you think Marbury for McGrady is a good deal? Mcgrady has three years left at about 22 million each and has a host of health issues. If healthy, he could be very dangerous. Is this the type of deal you want to see Thomas make?

No, my goal in a Marbury deal would be to get a young player or draft pick, who could be part of our long-range plans. E.g., Marbury for Ben Wallace and a draft pick… or Marbury & Nate for Wallace & Noah. (Chicago or whoever benefits by unloading their even longer white elephant contract).

I WOULD take McGrady (who expires in 2010) in exchange for Randolph (expiring 2011), or some combo involving Curry/Crawford/Jeffries (our other 2011 deals). He’d help in the meantime, and be gone in time to give us meaningful cap room. (We don’t have a 2010 draft pick so next year is the only time he’d hurt our lottery position).

Whatever deal the Bricks make needs to be a step toward righting the cap issue.
I realize there are those that feel the cap is overrated, but being so far over the cap has hamstrung the Bricks’ ability to make deals from a position of strength.

The Bricks should be dumping contracts if for no other reason to at least rid themselves of these horrible, unjustifiable contracts.

So if they move Marbury, I would hope they would get some sound draft picks some youth.

And if they move Zach, one would hope they get back someone whose contract expires sooner…at least.

Marbury knew in the summer- he was getting no extension – hence the reference to Italy and also howmy numbers put me ampng the best PGs to ever play stuff.

He brings no effort and hampers the development of real prospects like Nate, perhaps Collins -in addition – with Jones/Collins mix at the spot-more defnese and not having to sacrificing the Knicks front court strength. You could play Curry/Randolph/Lee to gether and still get some defense out of Lee and Jones/Collins.Give crawwford some rest by letting Nate get some minutes there.

Marury is done with his second homecoming. He is an expiring contract -waiting to happen and it will be a huge benfit to the Knicks in a trade for an outstanding player- I have my hopes up for Kobe!!

I don’t know who is watching this game versus the Wizards, but I’m certain that the first half proved Frank O.’s theory. The Knicks jumped out to a huge lead playing a lineup of Robinson-Jones-Balkman-Lee-Jeffries. Then, Isiah swapped in Crawford, Randolph, and Curry at about the 6min mark in the 2nd quarter (we were up 20 at that point)…

They managed to blow the whole lead and went into halftime with a slight lead!!!

During this 6min period, Randolph played ZERO defense…did not rotate at all, resulting in some ukranian scrub hitting 4 threes. Curry did not get back on defense, so the Wizards got a few fast break points.

So can anyone explain what happened? I come back and Q-Rich hits his first 4 shots and the Knicks have a big first quarter lead? Every time I get off a plane, I feel a little Twilight Zone-ish. Since I didn’t see a gremlin on the wing, I’m assuming something else is happening.

I turned the game on a few minutes ago. Apparently the Knicks were up 22 pts., but all I’ve seen is two shots that actually went over the backboard without hitting the rim first. One by Crawford and one by Nate. Crawford’s hit the shot clock…

I can’t believe they aren’t televising the game in DC.
So frustrated.
So the line up I like was playing well, huh?
I see on nba .com theBricks up by 12.
This is a good but inconsistent wizards team. With their talent they should be 3 in the east.

You know, the young guys are really have a profound impact. no wonder zeke has finally decided the zach experiment needs to end.
Robinson has been dangerous. balkman a wild man, and lee has been himself. He’s glue.
Then you run in crawford or Zach when youneed scoring punch and Jeffries provides solid D.

This keeps up I might stop calling them the Bricks.
Jeffries is a long defensive presence and Robinson really deserves to get a run at point now that steph is gone. Craw can play the two and share with jones.
When did you last see a Bricks player have two blocks in a game? And in addition to 8 assists, Nate had only one TO.
It’s an unselfish team.

Jon Abbey, you’re right on – add Balkman, subtract Marbury AND limit Curry’s minutes=a more competitive team. But I’m really impressed with Nate these days, he looks really comfortable at the point, he’s shooting lights out and playing under control. More minutes for Nate, Balkman and Lee is the key. Do you guys think they can carry this over to the Nets tomorrow? As bad as the Nets are at home, I have a feeling the Knicks will squander all this good will and put up a stinker. But if they did win, I’d be very impressed.

Let us trade Marbury or at least drop him from the team. He is a distraction and he has no concept of team. His ego has destroyed this team. Without him, we pass more and play as a team. I dont care if we dont get a dime for him. Not having him is a blessing in itself.

Agreed. A draft pick or good young player would be much better than a falling star. Sometimes i look at this team and think they have the role players but they dont have the core of star players that make teams elite. I think you could put Robinson, Lee, Balkman, and JJ on the Spurs playing significant minutes with Timmy, Manu, and Parker and the Spurs would still win 55 games.

I dont see how we get a legitimate star player outside of the drafting one. It is clear to me that niether Curry, Randolph, or Marbury can fill that role.

Mike,

Banning Iyamwhateverthehellhisnamewas was probably the right call. Every now and then you have to remind people of the rules. I’ll miss his bong inspired rants.

“I think you could put Robinson, Lee, Balkman, and JJ on the Spurs playing significant minutes with Timmy, Manu, and Parker and the Spurs would still win 55 games.”

I’d go a lot further than that; Lee and Balkman are easily the best players on NYK and would be key players on any team in the league (I mean, Lee might not start ahead of Garnett but he’d still be the 3rd of 4th best player on the Celts… you get the idea.)

I’ve always been a Nate fan but saw him as a combo guard; I was never convinced he could run the point full time. But I guess we’ll get a chance to see now…